Callan KK Callan (born January 9, 1936) is an American actress known for playing Clark Kent's mother Martha in the ABC television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Born Katherine Borman in Dallas, Texas, Callan made her first TV appearanceat the age of 20, playing a Western Union operator on an episode of Route 66 that happened to be shooting in Dallas. She did not resume her on-camera career until 1970, but worked steadily thereafter, having guest-starring roles on One Day at a Time, St. Elsewhere, Carnivá le, JAG, Coach and King of the Hill. She played a key role in the Emmy Award-winning episode "Cousin Liz" of All in the Family and portrayed the mother of April Stevens Ewing in several episodes of the penultimate season of Dallas. She played Daisy LaRue in the TV show Meet the Browns and appeared as Gabe Duncan's teacher, Mrs. Monroe, in Good Luck Charlie. She also appeared in the third season finale of Desperate Housewives as Ilene Britt, the mother of Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan), and has portrayed Lily's maternal grandmother on several episodes of How I Met Your Mother. She played the part of Charlie (as an elderly woman) in "Heroes" for one episode. She appeared in the films Joe (1970), The Onion Field (1979), American Gigolo (1980), A Change of Seasons (1980) and Fast-Walking (1982), as well as the television adaptation of the Lanford Wilson play The Rimers of Eldritch. She has written several books, including Script Is Finished, Now What Do I Do?, Directing your directing career, and How to Sell Yourself as an Actor. Read More Read Less